1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a teleconferencing server and a teleconferencing system that utilizes a plurality of telephone terminals to realize teleconferencing.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are in use today systems that enable users at respectively remote locations to hold a teleconference. In recent years, accompanying the reduction in the price of televisual phones, the spread of personal computers and the internet, and the expansion of the functionality of stationary telephones and mobile telephones, including cellular phones (hereinafter collectively referred to as telephone terminals), teleconferencing systems using a variety of types of telephone terminals have been proposed. According to these teleconferencing systems, the voice data from the telephone terminal of a teleconference participant that makes a transmission is subjected to a multiplexing process and transmitted to the telephone terminal of each participant to realize the teleconference. Among the proposed systems are systems in which an image data representing an image of the face of the transmitting party (the conference participant transmitting voice data) or an image data obtained by synthesizing an image of a virtual conference room in which an image of the face of each conference participant appears, is transmitted along with the voice data to impart a feeling close to that as if all the participants of the conference were present in the same conference room, and which record the contents of the conference and automate processes such as participant registration, billing, and the like with the aim of helping smooth the progress of the teleconference.
As the number of disabled persons hired by companies has increased in recent years, disabled and non-disabled persons are participating in the same conferences, even in international conferences. It goes without saying that under these conditions communication must be facilitated, for which it is necessary that the speech of non-disabled persons be translated into sign language or readable text for those with hearing or sight disabilities, and that sign language or written text be translated into speech so that all participants can communicate. However, such a system has not yet been realized.